Apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes



Feb. 16, 1965 T. ROWLANDS APPARATUS FOR MAKING MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES 3 Sheets-.Sheet 1 Filed April 30, 1962 R W W W Feb. 16, 1965 ROWLANDS 3,169,627

APPARATUS FOR MAKING MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES Filed April 30, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VE/V 7013 ATrok/vsze United States Patent 3,169,627 APPARATUS FOR MAKING MOUTHPDECE CIGARETTES Tom Rowlands, Deptford, London, England, assignor to Molins Machine Company Limited, London, England, a British company Filed Apr. 30, 1962, Ser. No. 190,854 Claims priority, application Great Britain, May 5, 1961, 16,382/ 61 2 Claims. (Cl. 19831) This invention concerns improvements in or relating to apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes.

Mouthpiece cigarettes are frequently made by assembling two cigarette lengths and a double length mouthpiece portion in line, the double length mouthpiece portion being positioned between the two cigarette lengths. A piece of adhesive-coated uniting band, such as cork tipping material, is then wrapped around the mouthpiece portion and the abutting ends of the two mouthpiece portions so as to unite the three components together. The whole is then formed into two mouthpiece cigarettes by severing the mouthpiece portion. In modern machines the method described is carried out at high speed, thus leading to difficulties in obtaining a good butted joint between the mouthpiece and cigarette portions. There is also a tendency for the components to lose their axial alignment before being united by the uniting band. The present invention is concerned with apparatus in which mouthpiece cigarettes are made as described and in which groups of components are formed whilst the cigarette lengths and mouthpiece portions are moving lengthwise.

The expression mouthpiece portion when used herein is to be understood as meaning any portion or group of portions of mouthpiece (e.g. filtering) material, or a hollow tube or tubes, or any other suitable portion or portions of material, or any combination of the foregoing. As mouthpiece portions are united with cigarette lengths and are then severed through the mouthpiece portion to form two mouthpiece cigarettes, it is to be understood that, Whatever the composition of the mouthpiece portion, the two severed parts of the mouthpiece portion will be of identical composition.

The expression lengthwise" when used herein is to be understood as a direction along the axis of a cigarette length or of a mouthpiece portion while the expression sideways is to be understood as referring to movement in a direction substantially at right angles to lengthwise direction.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes in which components, consisting of cigarette lengths and mouthpiece portions, to be united together are carried lengthwise on a conveying surface, from which they are pushed in a sideways direction, comprising means to arrest the lengthwise movement of the leading component and suction means to assist urging at least one other component to continue its lengthwise movement while the components are being pushed sideways so that they are abutted endwise.

The conveying surface may be air-pervious with perforations extending in straight lines along the length of the conveying surface. Suction ports may be positioned directly under the conveying surface, one at least of the ports being formed as a long narrow slot extending along a major portion of the length of the conveying surface so as to aid axial alignment of the components. At least one other suction port may extend across the width of the conveying surface so that components moving above are still being urged in a lengthwise direction by suction acting through the air pervious conveying surface while they are being pushed sideways.

3,159,521 Patented Feb. 16, 1965 The apparatus may comprise means to feed cigarette lengths with spaces between them to the conveying surface, means to feed mouthpiece portions into alternate spaces between the cigarette lengths so as to form groups, each consisting of two cigarette lengths with an interposed mouthpiece portion and suction means cooperating with braking means to cause at least two components of a group to be abutted and all three components to be axially aligned. 7

Apparatus in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: I

FIGURE 1 is a plan,

FIGURE 2 is a sectional end view.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are plan views of the device at different periods of the transfer action.

Referring first to FIGURE 1 cigarette lengths C, hereinafter referred to as cigarettes, are fed from the cut-oil of a cigarette-making machine to a perforated conveyor band 1 which passes over a pulley 2 and which is travelling in the direction indicated by the arrow. The cigarettes are accelerated as they leave the cigarette machine and thus are positioned on the perforated conveyor band 1 with spaces between their ends.

A mouthpiece portion feeding device, which may be as described and illustrated in United States Patent No. 3,609,557 is arranged alongside the conveyor band 1 and includes a rotating disc 3 having peripheral pushers 4 each of which in turn engages a mouthpiece portion M which has been fed onto a curved track 5, in the manner described in the above mentioned specification, and pushes it along the track and onto the band 1 between two cigarettes. The interposed mouthpiece portion and the two cigarettes between which it lies are together referred to herein as a group.

Below the band 1 there is provided a long suction port 6 connected to a suction chamber 7 which in its turn is connected to a suction source. The long suction port 6 is situated as close as possible to the right hand edge of the band 1 as viewed in FIGURE 2. Above the centre line of the long suction port 6 is positioned one continuous longitudinal row of holes 8 in the band 1. Where this row of holes 8 is in communication with the port 6 suction will be applied to the top of the holes on the band 1. Other holes are positioned on both sides of the longitudinal row 8. Thus when a cigarette or a mouthpiece portion M which otherwise would be resting freely on the band 1 is in contact with or adjacent to a hole or series of holes which are in conjunction with the long suction port 6, the cigarette or mouthpiece portion is held suctionally to the row of holes.

In advance of the mouthpiece portion feed there is provided a brake as disclosed and'illustrated in United States application Serial No. 817,843, now Patent No. 3,059,651. A braking member 9 carried on an arm 10 is pivoted at 11, the pivot 11 being rocked by a cam roller 12 carried on a further arm 13 with the cam roller being actuated by a cam 14. The brake is fitted with a stationary member 15 which cooperates with the braking member 9 to retard an interposed cigarette when the cam roller 12 lifts.

A pusher plate 16 having a pusher face 17 is mounted on crank discs 18 and 19 both of which rotate in the direction of the arrow. This rotation causes the face 17 to move across the band 1 in a pushing stroke and then to return, the plate 16 being pivotally mounted at 20 and 21. The movements of the pusher face 17 are so timed in relation to those of the disc 3 and of the brake cam 14 that the face sweeps across the band 1 when the leading cigarette C of a group has reached its correct position. The group is then pushed sideways off the band 1 into a rolling passage 22 as shown in FIGURE 2. I

A short port 23, the centre line of which is a continuation of the centre line of the long suction port 6 commuhicates withthe suction chamber 7. Between the two suction ports 6 and 23 there is provided a series of ports 24 having openings extending nearly across the full width of the band 1. A stop 25 helps to bring the leading cigarette C to rest in its lengthwise direction of travel. The stop 25 is carried on a bracket 26 pivoted at 27 to an arm 28 which is in its turn freely carried on two arms 29 and 30 pivoted respectively at 31 and 32 so that the arm 28 moves with parallel movement. The free end of the arm 29 carries a cam roller 33 operated by the disc 18 which is cut in the form of a cam. The cam disc 13 is so shaped that the arm 23 is given a lengthwise (considered in the direction in which the leading cigarette is moving) and a sideways (considered in the direction in which the group is moved when pushed by the pusher face 17) reciprocating movement during a pushing stroke of the pusher face 17.

The bracket 26 is roughly shaped like a T lying on its side. The foot of the T 26 is connected by means of a spring 37 to an anchor 38 on the arm 28. The spring 37 is in tension so that the normal position of the T bracket 26 is as shown in FIGURE 4 in which the foot of the bracket is forced against the extension 34. On the side of the foot of the T bracket 26 is a projection 39 which is engageable by an extension 46 of the pusher plate 16 so that as the pusher plate is moved in a forward direction by the eccentric discs 13 and 19 the projection 39 is moved into the position shown in FIGURES 1 and 3.

A flexible plate 34 shown in FIGURE 2 is mounted on a block 35 above the band 1, its free edge being spaced a suitable distance from the band 1 so that a group pushed sideways from the band is lightly gripped by the plate 34 and the band 1 while being pushed past them.

FIGURE 2 also illustrates the means by which successive groups are united by adhesive-coated uniting bands. A suction drum 36 having suction ports (not shown) on its periphery receives a web 37 of adhesive-coated material which is fed in known manner at a controlled speed slower than the linear speed of the periphery of the suction drum 36 so that the drum slips beneath the web. A rotating carrier 38 is provided with knives 39 which coact with the surface of the drum 36 to cut the web, the cut portions being suctionally held to the drum and being successively carried away by it in spaced relationship. A short stationary plate 40 has a concave surface opposed to the peripheral surface of the drum 36, the t. surfaces constituting a rolling chamber through which successive groups roll and are thereby united by the uniting bands. An extension plate 41 is fitted to the stationary plate 44 to prevent united groups from dropping into flutes 42 of a fluted conveyor wheel 43, the extension plate being eccentrically mounted at 44 for ease of removal. The fluted conveyor wheel 43 carries the groups away for severing into two complete mouthpiece cigarettes and for collection on a catcher band, all in known manner.

The operation of the apparatus will now be described. Cigarettes'suitably spaced apart are fed lengthwise to the band 1 from a cigarette-making machine. The mouthpiece portion feeding mechanism operating in timed relationship with the rest of the apparatus feeds a doublelength mouthpiece portion into the space behind every second cigarette to form successive groups.

As soon as the leading cigarette of a group carried on the band 1 reaches the port 6 it is held suctionally to the band, being centered along the port 6 by the row of holes 8. Similarly the following mouthpiece portion M is also held suctionally and is centered along the same row of holes 8. As the lengthwise position of the leading cigarette of a group on the band 1 may vary within fairly Wide limits due to the action of the cigarette machine or to other factors it is necessary to control its position before it reaches the rest of the apparatus. The braking member 9 and the stationary member 15 coact under the timed operation of the cam 14 to grip lightly the leading cigarette so as to retard its forward movement until the mouthpiece M abuts the rear end of the leading cigarettes. The grip on this leading cigarette is not sufficient to hold it against the pushing action of the mouthpiece and of the peripheral pusher 4. As soon as the mouthpiece abuts the leading cigarette the braking member 9 withdraws under the action of the cam 14 and the leading cigarette and mouthpiece continue in their lengthwise movement being suctionally held to the band 1. Thus, if the mouthpiece portion M is of the correct length, the position of the leading cigarette is now accurately controlled since the peripheral pushers 4 are in timed relationship with the pusher plate 16 and the cam disc 18.

The second cigarette of a group is not engaged by either of the peripheral pushers 4 but is held suctionally on the band 1 being again centered along the line of holes 8. Thus all three members of a group are in axial alignment whilst they move lengthwise on the band i. The period of retardation of the leading cigarette is long enough to enable the second cigarette to catch up on the mouthpiece as far as practicable in view of the presence of the pusher 4 behind the mouthpiece so that the arrangement of the groups held suctionally to the band 1 is approximately as illustrated at the left hand side of FEGURE 1.

The group when it has moved to the position as illustrated at the left hand side of FIGURE 1 is engaged by the face 17 of the pusher plate 16 and starts to move sideways whilst still continuing in its lengthwise movement. Immediately after engagement by the face 17 the leading cigarette engages the stop 25 which assists in retarding the lengthwise movement of the leading cigarette. As the leading cigarette moves sideways it moves away from the holes open to suction through the short port 23, but as the mouthpiece and the second cigarette of the group move sideways they remain in contact with holes open to suction due to the increased width of the ports 24. Thus the mouthpiece and the second cigarette continue to be suctionally urged in a lengthwise direction whilst moving sideways under the influence of the pusher 16. This urging in a lengthwise direction causes the two components of the group to be abuttcd immediately before being pushed from between the flexible plate 34 and the band 1, which coact together to maintai axial alignment, into the rolling passage 22.

As the pusher plate 16 moves in its forward stroke (i.e., in the same direction of movement as the sideways movement of the components of the group) the extension 40 engages the projection 39, pushing it against the action of the spring 37 until the stop 25 is in position (FIGURE 3) to arrest the lengthwise movement of the leading end of the cigarette C The cam face of the disc 18 is timed in relation to the movement of the pusher plate 16 so that the cam roller 33 starts to lift just before the stop 25 engages the end of the cigarette C Thus the stop 25 will be moving with a small component of movement in the direction of the lengthwise movement of the group, which is thereby retarded and finally stopped from moving lengthwise, and with a component in the direction of the sideways movement of the group equal to the movement of the pusher plate 16. Thus the stop 25 moves with the leading end of the ci arette C as the latter is pushed off the band 1. In FIGURE 3 the pusher plate 16 is nearly at the end of its pushing stroke with the stop 25 in contact with the end of the cigarette C In FIGURE 4 the pusher plate 16 has just started to move on its return stroke. As soon as this return movement starts the bracket 26 is pulled by the spring 37 so that the end of the foot of the T comes to rest against the extension 34 and thus retracts the stop 25 from contact with the, end of the cigarette C As a group enters the rolling passage 22 it is overtaken by a uniting band and rolls over the latter to be united thereby. The united group is transferred from the rolling passage to the fluted wheel 43 where it is cut into two mouthpiece cigarettes in known manner.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mouthpiece cigarette making macmnc, appa ratus for forming an aligned and abutted group of at least three components which are to be united together for severing into two mouthpiece cigarettes, comprising a foraminous conveyor on which said components are conveyed in a lengthwise direction, a suction chamber having a narrow lengthwise extending port and communicating with said conveyor through said port whereby suction is operable through the foramina of said conveyor in communication with said port so as to hold the components of said group in aligned relationship, a pusher member adapted to push said components sideways over the surface of said conveyor, a stop member actuated by said pusher member during its pushing stroke to occupy a position in which the lengthwise movement of said group is arrested and further actuated by said pusher member to retract from said position during the return stroke of said pusher member, said port having a portion extending in a transverse direction positioned to cause suction to urge thetwo trailing components to continue their lengthwise movement while said pusher member moves them sideways and after the leading component has moved out of suctional influence or" said port, whereby said components enter an abutting and aligned relationship.

2. In apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes wherein groups of components comprising cigarette lengths and mouthpiece components travel in a lengthwise direction for assembly of each group into a unit which is subsequently severed into individual mouthpiece cigarettes, comprising in combination a conveyor for conveying said group, a stop member for arresting lengthwise travel of said group, a pusher member operable to push said group sideways and means operable with said pusher member during its pushing stroke to move said stop member while it is in contact with the leading face of the leading component of said group so that there is no relative movement therebetween, the improvement wherein said means comprises camming means having a cam surface operable to move said stop member, a pivot about which said stop member is rotatable and a spring urging rotation about said pivot, said pusher means being adapted to actuate said stop member during said pushing stroke, rotating said stop member against the urging of said spring to a position in which the lengthwise movement of said group is arrested, and to further actuate said stop member in timed relationship with the end of said pushing stroke, allowing said stop member to be rotated from said position by the urging of said spring.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,176,485 10/39 Bronander 2,881,898 4/59 Reilly l98--31.2 3,059,651 10/62 Molins 13194 FOREIGN PATENTS 610,002 10/60 Italy.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

EDV/ARD A. SROKA, ERNEST A. FALLER, JR.,

Examiners. 

1. IN A MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE, APPARATUS FOR FORMING AN ALIGNED AND ABUTTED GROUP OF AT LEAST THREE COMPONENTS WHICH ARE TO BE UNITED TOGETHER FOR SEVERING INTO TWO MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES, COMPRISING A FORAMINOUS CONVEYOR ON WHICH SAID COMPONENTS ARE CONVEYED IN A LENGTHWISE DIRECTION, A SUCTION CHAMBER HAVING A NARROW LENGTHWISE EXTENDING PORT AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CONVEYOR THROUGH SAID PORT WHEREBY SUCTION IS OPERABLE THROUGH THE FORAMINA OF SAID CONVEYOR IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID PORT SO AS TO HOLD THE COMONENTS OF SAID GROUP IN ALIGNED RELATIONSHIP, A PUSHER MEMBER ADAPTED TO PUSH SAID COMPONENTS SIDEWAYS OVER THE SURFACE OF SAID CONVEYOR, A STOP MEMBER ACTUATED BY SAID PUSHER MEMBER DURING ITS PUSHING STROKE TO OCCUPY A POSITION IN WHICH THE LENGTHWISE MOVEMENT OF SAID GROUP IS ARRESTED AND FURTHER ACTUATED BY SAID PUSHER MEMBER TO RETRACT FROM SAID POSITION DURING THE RETURN STROKE OF SAID PUSHER MEMBER, SAID PORT HAVING A PORTION EXTENDING IN A TRANSVERSE DIRECTION POSITIONED TO CAUSE SUCTION TO URGE THE TWO TRAILING COMPONENTS TO CONTINUE THEIR LENGTHWISE MOVEMENT WHILE SAID PUSHER MEMBER MOVES THEN SIDEWAYS AND AFTER THE LEADING COMPONENT HAS MOVED OUT OF SUCTIONAL INFLUENCE OF SAID PORT, WHEREBY SAID COMPONENTS ENTER AN ABUTTING AND ALIGNED RELATIONSHIP. 